informashon on depression.
Clinical depression goes by many names -- depression, "the blues," biological depression, major depression. But it all refers to the same thing: feeling sad and depressed for weeks or months on end (not just a passing blue mood). This feeling is most often accompanied by feelings of hopelessness, a lack of energy (or feeling "weighed down"), and taking little or no pleasure in things that gave you joy in the past. A person who's depressed just "can't get moving" and feels completely unmotivated to do just about anything. Even simple things -- like getting dressed in the morning or eating -- become large obstacles in daily life.
That which does not kill me makes me stronger.
-- Frederick Nietzsche
Depressive disorders make one feel exhausted, worthless, helpless, and hopeless. Such negative thoughts and feelings make some people feel like giving up. It is important to realize that these negative views are part of the depression and typically do not accurately reflect the situation. Negative thinking fades as treatment begins to take effect. In the meantime:
How Family and Friends Can Help the Depressed Person
The most important thing anyone can do for the depressed person is to help him or her get an appropriate diagnosis and treatment. This may involve encouraging the individual to stay with treatment until symptoms begin to abate (several weeks), or to seek different treatment if no improvement occurs. On occasion, it may require making an appointment and accompanying the depressed person to the doctor. It may also mean monitoring whether the depressed person is taking medication.
Depression is more than just sadness. People with depression may experience a lack of interest and pleasure in daily activities, significant weight loss or gain, insomnia or excessive sleeping, lack of energy, inability to concentrate, feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.
Depression is the most common mental disorder. Fortunately, depression is treatable. A combination of therapy and antidepressant medication can help ensure recovery.
Adapted from the Encyclopedia of Psychology
Seek the right kind of social support Social isolation increases the risk of depression. But it turns out that spending too much time discussing problems with friends could actually increase depression as well.
Find a Psychologist
Depression and How Psychotherapy and Other Treatments Can Help People Recover Depression is a real illness and carries with it a high cost in terms of relationship problems, family suffering and lost work productivity. Yet, depression is a highly treatable illness, with psychotherapy, coping and cognitive-behavioral techniques, and medication. Having depression may double the risk of stroke for middle-aged women, according to new research.
The study's authors say the findings give another reason for doctors to be on the look out for depression in women.
"When treating women, doctors need to recognize the serious nature of poor mental health and what effects it can have in the long term," study author Caroline Jackson, an epidemiologist in the School of Population Health at the University of Queensland in Australia, said in a press release. "Current guidelines for stroke prevention tend to overlook the potential role of depression."
The 12-year Australian study was the first large-scale study that looked at how depression may affect stroke risk. A total of 10,547 women between 47 and 52 who were part of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, were included in the study. The longitudinal study had asked women about their mental and physical health every three years between 1998 and 2010.
That which does not kill me makes me stronger.
-- Frederick Nietzsche
Depressive disorders make one feel exhausted, worthless, helpless, and hopeless. Such negative thoughts and feelings make some people feel like giving up. It is important to realize that these negative views are part of the depression and typically do not accurately reflect the situation. Negative thinking fades as treatment begins to take effect. In the meantime:
How Family and Friends Can Help the Depressed Person
The most important thing anyone can do for the depressed person is to help him or her get an appropriate diagnosis and treatment. This may involve encouraging the individual to stay with treatment until symptoms begin to abate (several weeks), or to seek different treatment if no improvement occurs. On occasion, it may require making an appointment and accompanying the depressed person to the doctor. It may also mean monitoring whether the depressed person is taking medication.
Depression is more than just sadness. People with depression may experience a lack of interest and pleasure in daily activities, significant weight loss or gain, insomnia or excessive sleeping, lack of energy, inability to concentrate, feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.
Depression is the most common mental disorder. Fortunately, depression is treatable. A combination of therapy and antidepressant medication can help ensure recovery.
Adapted from the Encyclopedia of Psychology
Seek the right kind of social support Social isolation increases the risk of depression. But it turns out that spending too much time discussing problems with friends could actually increase depression as well.
The study's authors say the findings give another reason for doctors to be on the look out for depression in women.
"When treating women, doctors need to recognize the serious nature of poor mental health and what effects it can have in the long term," study author Caroline Jackson, an epidemiologist in the School of Population Health at the University of Queensland in Australia, said in a press release. "Current guidelines for stroke prevention tend to overlook the potential role of depression."
The 12-year Australian study was the first large-scale study that looked at how depression may affect stroke risk. A total of 10,547 women between 47 and 52 who were part of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, were included in the study. The longitudinal study had asked women about their mental and physical health every three years between 1998 and 2010.